Reply

By Marty S., Trumbull, CT

I do not think age should be as important as two other factors that need to be mentioned: the person's mental capabilities and the seriousness of the crime.

Murder is a very serious crime, and a person should not be immune to the consequences simply because of his/her age. Unless they are too young to be in control, all people should be punished equally. But there are certain exceptions, such as mentally handicapped people. That is why the question must be asked, regardless of age, that if a person cannot control him or herself, how is s/he supposed to understand what could happen in a dangerous situation?

Therefore, I believe the only way a person should be judged when being tried for murder is by mental capacity, not age. n